аÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û

Bruno Fernandes scored Villa at Old Trafford as the Red Devils edge towards a Champions League return

Manchester United edged Aston Villa at Old Trafford to come one step closer to clinching their spot in the Champions League.

After Marcus Rashford’s saved shot bounced out to him, Bruno Fernandes finished coolly to give the Red Devils a deserved first-half lead. Erik Ten Hag’s team had to defend significantly harder after the interval, but they were able to keep their guests at bay for the remainder of the game.

With the win, they move nine points ahead of Tottenham and their visitors. Here are all of the talking points from Old Trafford as a top-four finish approaches:

Anti-Glazer protests continue

See also

Sports

Wembanyama Left Justin Bibbins Stunned

Man United was creating headlines even before the game began, as a takeover appeared to be on the horizon. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani submitted proposals before the closing deadline on Friday.

The INEOS owner appears to be the front-runner after outbidding his opponent and maybe offering the Glazer family the opportunity to continue at Old Trafford. However, thousands of United fans demonstrated their displeasure with the club’s ownership during a pre-match march.

The confrontation with Villa was also accompanied by anti-Glazer shouts. While this is not uncommon, supporters will be hoping that their message to Ratcliffe is heard loud and clear.

Fernandes keeps up Villa’s record

Despite having only five Premier League goals to his name this season, the Portuguese will be feeling optimistic going up against Villa. He got six goals in seven outings versus the Midlands team in his career.

He made it seven in eight when he tapped home after Emi Martinez saved Rashford’s low effort. It was also a watershed moment for the Portuguese, as the goal marked the 100th of his career in the league.

Lindelof steps up

Following the injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, fans were concerned about the defensive pairing that Erik ten Hag would use. After all, neither Harry Maguire nor Victor Lindelof had impressed, and Luke Shaw was playing in an unusual position.

However, the Swede was crucial in the Red Devils’ victory over Villa. He kept the in-form Ollie Watkins under lock and key, while also producing a crucial stop to deny Jacob Ramsey after he had slipped away.

The former Benfica player then managed to deflect Douglas Luiz’s curling shot from the top corner off the line. Ten Hag will undoubtedly expect to see more performances like this one from Lindelof if he is required for the majority of the rest of the season.

Emery’s Man Utd record over

Unai Emery, who has made an impact at Villa Park this season, will be devastated if his club loses at Old Trafford. The setback also comes to an end with the Spaniard’s outstanding lifetime record versus the Red Devils.

The former Arsenal manager had not lost any of his previous four Premier League games versus United, the longest such unbeaten streak of any manager. He’ll be hoping that his team can get back on track as quickly as possible.

Champions League return close